President Donald Trump signed an executive order prohibiting illegal immigrants from receiving taxpayer-funded benefits Wednesday (February 19) night.
“My Administration will uphold the rule of law, defend against the waste of hard-earned taxpayer resources, and protect benefits for American citizens in need, including individuals with disabilities and veterans,” the text of Trump’s order obtained by the New York Post stated.
Trump acknowledged that the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) already prohibited illegal immigrants from obtaining most taxpayer-funded benefits, but argued that “numerous administrations have acted to undermine the principles and limitations directed by the Congress” in the decades since it was passed. The president once again blamed former President Joe Biden‘s administration of having “repeatedly undercut the goals of that law, resulting in the improper expenditure of significant taxpayer resources.”
Trump claimed that “taxpayer resources” have acted as a “magnet” for migrants, “fueling illegal immigration to the United States” based on the actions of past administrations. The new executive order will direct the head of every federal agency to “identify all federally funded programs administered by the agency that currently permit illegal aliens to obtain any cash or non-cash public benefit” and “take all appropriate actions to align such programs” in adherence with the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, as well as other federal laws.
Recent Comments